1)
Except for juveniles, sex can be determined by the
rear of the crown - males have a small red patch,
while females lack any red; in juveniles,
males have a red patch on the crown, while
females have at most a few red-tipped central crown
feathers

2) In
summer to early fall, check the length of p10 -
in juveniles only it extends >7 mm beyond the primary
coverts

3) Look
for moult limits among the primary coverts: - in HY/SY birds they are uniform but somewhat paler
than the greater coverts
- in SY/TY birds the outermost 1-5 coverts are fresh and
black, while the remainder are uniformly paler brown
- in ASY/ATY birds the primary coverts are uniformly fresh and black
OR irregularly fresh/black and worn/brown

Note that
woodpeckers can be confusing since individuals can be recognized as SY throughout the calendar year, but with different
characteristics before/after their prebasic moult; be sure to
take the timing of moult (late summer / early fall) into account

SY - F
Outer few primary coverts replaced (black), all
other retained primary coverts brown. Crown
does not have a red patch.

HY - M
Primary coverts paler brown than the rest of the
wing. Iris gray/brown. Crown has a red patch.

HY - F
Primary coverts paler brown than the rest of the
wing. Iris gray/brown. Crown does not have a
red patch.

JUV - U
Primary

Ageing and sexing details:

after-third-year male

The crown has a red patch, and the iris is a deep red. It is
occasionally possible to age an ATY with isolated retained juvenal
feathers or 3 generations of primary coverts as a 4Y bird.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2006

Primary coverts are an
irregular mix of black (fresh), brown, and very pale brown (worn)
feathers OR are uniformly black / dark brown (only marginally paler than
wing). The photo below illustrates the latter scenario. Note
the contrast between the fresher black coverts with "full" white spots
along the edge, and the somewhat paler one where the white spot appears
"chewed out" (white abrades more rapidly); this may sometimes be easier
to notice than the difference between dark brown and black feathers.

Photo
by Peter Pyle, Howell Woods (NC), May 2006

Photo
by Peter Pyle, Big Sur Ornithology Lab (CA), May 2007

Photo
by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2006

Photo
by Barbara Frei, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), April 2008

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does.

The crown does not have a red patch, but may have 1-2 red
feathers, and the iris is a deep red. It is occasionally possible to
age an ATY with isolated retained juvenal feathers or 3 generations of
primary coverts as a 4Y bird.

Photo
by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2006

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, April 2007

Primary coverts are an
irregular mix of black (fresh), brown, and very pale brown (worn)
feathers OR are uniformly black / dark brown (only marginally paler than
wing). The latter scenario is illustrated by the second photo below, with
a somewhat paler covert contrasting visibly with black coverts on either
side of it. Note also that the white spot on the older covert is
considerably more abraded than on the newer feathers; depending on light
conditions this may be easier to see than the difference between dark
brown and black.

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, April 2007

Photo
by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2006

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does.

The outer few primary coverts are replaced (black). All other
retained primary coverts are pale brown. It is possible that a few
extremely faded juvenal secondaries may be retained (s1-s5). Some
intermediates may occur that are extremely difficult to age. These
should be aged ASY.

Photo
by Peter Pyle, Howell Woods (NC), May 2006

Photo
by Seabrooke Leckie, August 2006

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does.

The outer few primary coverts are replaced (black). All other
retained primary coverts are pale brown. It is possible that a few
extremely faded juvenal secondaries may be retained (s1-s5). Some
intermediates may occur that are extremely difficult to age. These
should be aged ASY.

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), April 2008

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does.

Primary coverts uniformly worn and brown and contrast
with the rest of the wing. Look for retention of juvenal
characteristics: a larger, rounded p10.

Photo
by Barbara Frei, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2007

Photo
by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2006

Photo
by Peter Pyle, MerryLea (IN), May 2007

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does. However, SY birds can sometimes have
very pointed rectrices that may support other plumage characteristics.

Primary coverts uniformly worn and brown and contrast
with the rest of the wing. Look for retention of juvenal
characteristics: a larger, rounded p10.

Photo
by Peter Pyle, Big Sur Ornithology Lab (CA), May 2007

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does. However, SY birds can sometimes have very
pointed rectrices that may support other plumage characteristics.

The crown has a red patch, and the iris is a deep red. It is
occasionally possible to age an ASY with isolated retained juvenal
feathers or 3 generations of primary coverts as a TY bird.

Photo
by Marcel Gahbauer, August 2005

Primary coverts are an irregular mix of black (fresh), brown,
and very pale brown (worn) feathers OR are uniformly black / dark brown
(only marginally paler than wing). The secondaries can either be
uniformly adult with fresh tertials, OR a few older feathers may be
retained, often asymmetrically. ASYs with isolated, retained juvenal
primary coverts or with 3 generations of coverts sequentially replaced
may be aged as TY, but more study is needed.

Photo
by Marcel Gahbauer, August 2005

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does.

The crown does not have a red patch, but may have 1-2 red
feathers, and the iris is a deep red. It is occasionally possible to
age an ASY with isolated retained juvenal feathers or 3 generations of
primary coverts as a TY bird.

Photo
by Barbara Frei, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2007

Primary coverts are an irregular mix of black (fresh), brown,
and very pale brown (worn) feathers OR are uniformly black / dark brown
(only marginally paler than wing). The secondaries can either be
uniformly adult with fresh tertials, OR a few older feathers may be
retained, often asymmetrically. ASYs with isolated, retained juvenal
primary coverts or with 3 generations of coverts sequentially replaced
may be aged as TY, but more study is needed.

Photo
by Barbara Frei, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2007

Photo
by Barbara Frei, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2007

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does.

Outer few primary coverts replaced (black), all other
retained primary coverts brown. The secondaries are either uniformly
adult with fresh tertials OR may contain 1-4 retained juvenal feathers.
These should be symmetrical in both wings, faded, abraded and
contrasting markedly with the fresher, replaced feathers. Some
intermediates are difficult to separate from ASY and should be aged as
AHY.

Photo
by Barbara Frei, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2007

Photo
by James Junda, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2008

Photo
by James Junda, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2008

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does.

Outer few primary coverts replaced (black), all other
retained primary coverts brown. The secondaries are either uniformly
adult with fresh tertials OR may contain 1-4 retained juvenal feathers.
These should be symmetrical in both wings, faded, abraded and
contrasting markedly with the fresher, replaced feathers. Some
intermediates are difficult to separate from ASY and should be aged as
AHY.

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does.

Crown has a red patch, and the iris is gray/brown.
On juveniles (as in the third photo below), the red may extend forward
on the crown.

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2008

Photo by
Marcel Gahbauer, October 2004

Primary coverts are paler brown than the rest of the
wing. Caution: fresh fall HYs can resemble ASYs with uniform
secondaries and primary coverts. Look for retention of juvenal
characteristics through October: a larger, rounded p10.

Photo
by Marcel Gahbauer, October 2005

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2008

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does. However, HY birds can sometimes have very
pointed rectrices that may support other plumage characteristics.

Primary coverts are paler brown than the rest of the
wing. Caution: fresh fall HYs can resemble ASYs with uniform
secondaries and primary coverts. Look for retention of juvenal
characteristics through October: a larger, rounded p10.

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, August 2007

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does. However, HY birds can sometimes have
very pointed rectrices that may support other plumage characteristics.

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, August 2007

Photo
by Marcel Gahbauer, August 2005

juvenile, sex unknown

Crown does not have a red patch, and the iris is gray/brown.

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, August 2007

Photo
by Marcel Gahbauer, August 2007

Primary coverts are paler brown than the rest of the
wing. Caution: fresh fall HYs can resemble ASYs with uniform
secondaries and primary coverts. Look for retention of juvenal
characteristics through October: a larger, rounded p10.

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, August 2007

Photo
by Marie-Anne Hudson, August 2007

Tails are
not terribly useful for ageing or sexing woodpeckers, though can help
differentiate between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpecker
has black in the outer rectrix while the Hairy rarely does. However, HY birds can sometimes have
very pointed rectrices that may support other plumage characteristics.